Cochineal insects on nopal cactus in the natural dyes studio of Porfirio Gutierrez and family in the Zapotec village of Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico on 24 November 2018. Cochineal is a parasitic insect native to Mexico which lives on the leaves of the prickly pear plant. When ready to harvest, the insects are gently dusted off and left to dry before being ground to crimson dust. In Teotitlan cochineal is still ground by hand on stone metates and used as a natural dye for yarn